"Hey Son, Where are You Going?" (nod to Drivin'-N-Cryin')

• Turning 50 on March 6.  
• Reached my 5 year mark with Charles Schwab, which comes with a fabulous perk to take a sabbatical + explore + learn + see + do ... find an adventure. It's a truly special benefit that Schwab provides to employees every 5 years.

• Wasn't sure what to do with the lengthy time off, but knew I wouldn't sit around the house reorganizing the garage.
• Options ... Head to Argentina to fly fish, Rent a boat off the coast of Thailand and island hop, Explore Panama or Colombia, Bounce around Colorado + buy a camper + get to know my backyard.
  
• Decided to spend time with friends and family to celebrate the big 5-0, snowboard a bit, hike with our dog Ruby ... and then head to Bali for close to 5 weeks.

So here we go.  We'll pack and prepare.  We have our travel docs. We have our lodging sorted. We have flights booked to the other side of the globe. We have our shots and vaccines. We have bug spray and sunscreen lotion. We have our music play list loaded ... and I expect we'll create new ones.

Leah and I are fortunate, blessed, lucky ... but also curious and deliberate in carving out our own adventures. We eloped in NYC, headed off to Puerto Rico to celebrate getting hitched, eventually relocated from Memphis to Denver, and have seen some amazing places across the USA + big-ole-world.  She's a great travel partner, and always the one to grab the map to steer us in the right direction.  Together we've been to Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, Belize, Brazil, Scotland, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Bahamas ... so many great spots, and I'm probably forgetting a few. We've been to the Northwest USA in Oregon and Washington, to the Southeast in Key West, to the Northeast in Boston and Adirondacks, to the West in California and Arizona.  We've even been to Fort Dodge, Iowa, to visit friends.  

And now off to Indonesia.  Follow the blog if interested.  Created mostly for our parents to let them know that we are alive and well.  But also for nieces and nephews, and maybe it'll spark an adventure of their own some day. We won't post on Facebook. We may post on the Gram every now and then.  We'll have our phones and can text or call. But the blog format is much better.  

• You won't see me spamming photos all of the time
• Some of our friends aren't on BookFace
• Easier way for nieces and nephews to see our stories for themselves

Here's where we'll be for the bulk of our stay.  2 home bases ... one in a hippy-dippy town called Ubud where there are rice paddy fields, white water rafting, hikes to waterfalls, day trips to explore the Balinese culture and see the sunrise each morning over the lush forest. And another on Bingin Beach to watch surfers (may take a lesson ourselves), sample fresh seafood, do some fishing and soak in the sunsets in the evening.

 

Who knows what we'll discover? Can't wait to find out!  -- Brice (and Leah)